When we think of public health risks, we may not think of the ocean as a factor. Increasingly, however, the health of the ocean is intimately tied to our health. Some may be surprised to read that organisms discovered at extreme depths are used to speed up the detection of COVID-19, and probably, even more to learn that, it is the environment to could give a solution to humankind.

Over twenty of the world’s leading ocean-minded Foundations took part in a two-day dialogue on building partnerships to enhance and drive ocean action into the next Decade. Co-organized by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and Velux Foundations (Denmark), the international dialogue has triggered a series of outreach initiatives aimed at mobilizing the global philanthropic community around the upcoming UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).

On the occasion of World Oceans Day (June 8th), UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) organized the first Virtual Ocean Literacy Summit, with the support of the European Global Ocean Observing System (EuroGOOS), Ocean Wise and Experiential Atelier*.

On the occasion of World Hydrography Day, The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project, which aims to facilitate the complete mapping of the global ocean floor by 2030, has announced the inclusion of 14.5 million square kilometres of new bathymetric data in the latest GEBCO Grid. Nearly a fifth of the world’s entire ocean floor has now been mapped, with the new data equating to an area twice the size of Australia.

UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and UN Global Compact join forces to mobilize the private sector ahead of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

Engaged in joint worldwide cooperative projects since the 1990s, the world’s two leading scientific cooperation organizations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in light of their common determination to work together on the development and implementation of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (the Ocean Decade).

The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030, Ocean Decade for short) will support a new cooperative framework to ensure that global ocean science provides greater benefits for ocean ecosystems and wider society. It will provide a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity to create a new foundation for the scientific community, governments, civil society, and the UN system to strengthen the management of our oceans and coasts for the benefit of humanity.

Taking place between 2021-2030, the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development will provide a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to create a new foundation, across the science-policy interface, to strengthen the management of our oceans and coasts for the benefit of humanity.

Find out more about the #OceanDecade: oceandecade.org

Professional skippers competing in some of the most famous yachting races (Route du Rhum, Monaco Globe Series, The Vendée Globe) are taking action to protect their vast, endangered playground by partnering with scientific institutions for the monitoring of the ocean.

Report commissioned by 14 serving heads of state and government calls for strengthening the science-based integrated ocean management through the UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC).